Clutch.



UNITED sTAtg s PATENT OFFICE. I

THOMAS G. MORSE, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO MORSE IRON WORKS, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CLUTCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TnoMAs G. MORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Clutches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to clutches, and has for its object the construction of a clutch, the jaws of which are 0 erated by electricity, preferably used in so enoids which are operated to move the aws outward. V

The features of my invention are hereinafter fully set forth and explained and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of my improved clutch, with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on the line 90-0: in Fig. 1.

In these drawings illustrating my invention, A is an overhanging clutch rim provided with a hub A mounted and rotating u on the hub B of the other member of the c utch, which hub B is adapted to be secured to a shaft by means of a key inserted in a slot 1) in the usual manner. This hub B is provided with an inward extension B from opposite sides of which arms O O extend outward, the outer ends of which form three sides of hollow rectangular shells in which radially sliding jaws D D are mounted adapted to contact with the inside of the overhanging rim A. The fourth or outer side of these shells O C consists of a removable plate E secured in place by means of screws 6. From one side of each of the arms C C an arm F extends, to which a solenoid shell G is secured.

Mounted upon the inward extension B of the hub there is a sleeve H provided with inclined projections h h, corresponding to the inner inclined ends (1 d of the aws D D, and between the inclined projections it h of the sleeve H and the inclined ends (I d of the jaws D D there are balls or rollers I I, which mechanism o erates when the sleeve H is rotated on the ub extension B in the direction of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 28, 1907.

Patented July 7, 1908.

Serial No. 394,987.

the arrow in Fig. 1 to force the jaws D D outward against the inside of the rim A.

For rotating the sleeve H, I provide arms H H thereon which extend from opposite sides thereof over the open ends of the solenoid shells G G, where they connect with the solenoid cores G G so that when the cores G G move inward the sleeve H is rotated on the hub extension B so as to move the jaws D D outward, as hereinbefore described.

To supply electric current to thesolenoid windings, I secure a ring J of insulating material to the front of the plate E by means of screws 3', and upon the insulating ring J, I secure metal contact rings K K to which the ends 9 of the solenoid windings are secured, electricity being supplied to the rings K K by means of contact brushes (not shown) in the usual manner.

To move the jaws D D inward I secure retracting springs between the jaws D D and the arms H H on the sleeve H, so that when the current of electricity is cut ofi' from the solenoids G G the springs M M operate to draw the jaws D D back from the mm A.

Having thus described my invention so as to enable others to construct and use the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. The combination in a clutch, of a loosely journaled overhanging-rim clutch member, radially movable jaws adapted to engage the inside of said rim mounted on the other clutch member, a rotatable sleeve, projections thereon adapted to move the jaws outward against said rim, and electrically actuated mechanism for rotating said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a clutch, of an overhanging-rim clutch member mounted concentrically with and rotatable independently of the other clutch member, radially movable jaws adapted to engage the inside of said rim mounted on the other clutch member, a rotatable sleeve loosely journaled under the inner ends of the aw members, inclined projections on said sleeve under the inner ends of said aw members adapted to.

move the jaw members outward when the sleeve is rotated, and electrically actuated mechanism for rotating said sleeve, substan-- radially movable jaws adapted to engage the inside of said rim mounted on the other clutch member, a rotatable sleeve, projections thereon adapted to move the jaws outward, arms on said sleeve for rotating it, electrically o erated solenoids to actuate said arms, an thereby rotate said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a clutch, of a loosely journaled overhanging-rim clutch member, a clutch member secured to the clutch shaft, radially movable clutch jaws mounted in said member so as to be moved outward against the inside of said overhanging rim, a sleeve rotatable with relation to the fixed clutch member, inclined rojections on said sleeve under the inner en s of the jaws, antifriction mechanism between said sleeve projections and the inner ends of the jaws, fixed arms on the frame in which the jaws are slidably mounted, arms on said sleeve, solenoids between said fixed arms and the arms on said sleeve whereby, said sleeve is rotated, and electrical connections to said solenoids, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a clutch, of a loosely journaled overhanging-rim clutch member, a clutch member secured to the clutch shaft, radially movable clutch jaws mounted on the fixed clutch member so that when moved outward they will engage the overhaii ing rim member, a sleeve rotatably mounte on the fixed clutch member, inclined projectionsthereon under the ends of said jaws, anti-friction balls between said projections and the inner ends of the aws, arms on opposite sides of said sleeve, arms on the fixed member of the clutch, solenoids between the ends of said arms and the arms on said sleeve, electrical connections for operating said solenoids, and retracting s rings between the jaws and the arms on. sai sleeve substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS Gr. MORSE.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. BROOKS. LEAH BENSON. 

